2/21/11

Saratoga Springs' fantastic Railbird are finally releasing the full-length No One this week, and it's worth what seemed an interminable wait. I've posted about Railbird a bunch of times (and I'll probably post about them again soon when I review of No One), each time insisting that they're on the cusp of greatness. For now let it suffice to say that this record is one more indication that they're ready for much bigger stages than they've been playing so far.

They're playing a bunch of record release parties to celebrate, which you should absolutely get to if you can:

2/9/11

The Strokes are releasing Angles, their first album in a very long time (like 5 years) in March, but today and tomorrow you can download "Under Cover of Darkness," their first single, for free. After that, you'll have to wait until 2/15 and buy the shit. Admit it...you're curious what it sounds like. Go to www.thestrokes.com.

2/8/11

It's going on 3 years now that I've wondered to myself why I'm the only person I know who's into Cincinnati's quirky banjo-electronic The Seedy Seeds. I can't understand why these guys aren't a much bigger deal than they are. Not a week goes by that I don't play them in my car at least once.

Here's to hoping their newest record Verb Noun (available later this spring) makes a bit of a splash. If the whole thing is as good as the title track (listen or download), I think it's got a decent chance.

For good measure, here's a great track from their last record, Count the Days:

1/25/11

Buried deep in a truly epic press release about Dropkick Murphys' upcoming release (it's called Going Out In Style, it comes out March 1st, and it'll be good just like all their other records) I found a tidbit of information that actually moved me to write a post about a record I haven't heard that doesn't come out for more than a month: F-ING SPRINGSTEEN IS ON IT.

For Going Out In Style, Dropkick Murphys even enlisted the vocal talents of the legendary Bruce Springsteen--whom they first met at a DKM gig in New York and later collaborated with onstage at one of Springsteen’s Boston shows. Springsteen swaps verses with Casey for a spirited take on the old standard “Peg O’ My Heart.” “It has a classic old fifties rock and roll feel,” says Casey. “Both of my grandmothers are named Peg. One grandmother, Peg Casey, is always saying, 'When are you going to do that song? Your grandfather always sang it to me!' The time signature changed, so hopefully they still appreciate it when they hear it.”

The collaboration is a perfect intergenerational bridge for fans and band alike. Dropkick Murphys have always strongly resonated with audiences young and old due to their working class ethos and cathartic sonic revelry. "It links two generations,” says Casey. “We're spanning a lot of years of music here, yet our songs share similar themes, stories, and values."

Here's a video of DKM covering Springsteen, since all the videos I could find of them on stage together sounded like diarrhea.

1/21/11

I really like when covers really take on the sound of the band performing them. This one sounds like it might as well have always been a Nada Surf song, while still being recognizable as the classic that it is. Nada Surf has a whole record of covers out now: if I had a hi-fi.

12/15/10

Josh Ritter has been publishing a blog for a little while now about the process of becoming a successful touring musician, which I've found to be a great read. He's honest about the work, talent, and luck required, which is important when your audience is likely comprised of many who simply won't make it, but more importantly he's charming and reading it has really elevated him in my mind from singer-I-like status to man-I-admire status. This video is short and a little hokey, but it gave me the same sense anyway.

While I'm at it and since I probably won't get around to doing a full end-of-year post since there just wasn't that much I fell in love with this year, I'm going to call So Runs the World Away my favorite record of 2010. There, I said it..

11/19/10

Surely you've read by now somewhere more relevant that The Decemberists have a new record coming out January 18th and that they'll be touring to support it of course thank God. Tickets are on sale here, and they've even added a second show at the Beacon Theater in NYC in case you're a slowpoke and didn't get tickets to the first one in time. Go go go go go.